Court Officially Confirms Details for First Hearing in Trump Criminal Case

Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before his speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center National Harbor, Md., on March 4, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump’s first hearing will take place on April 4, a court spokesperson confirmed on Friday.

Trump is set to appear at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday before New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email.

The hearing will be open to members of the public and the press on a first come, first serve basis, the spokesperson said. The hearing will not be livestreamed.

The courthouse is located in lower Manhattan.

Trump has been indicted by a grand jury for reasons that are under seal. Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges in the history of the United States.

A spokesperson for the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, said in a statement that it is now coordinating with Trump’s attorneys his “surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment.” Bragg had been probing a payment by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to adult performer Stormy Daniels, who has alleged Trump had an affair with her. Trump has denied the claim. Cohen has said he spoke to the grand jury.

Merchan on Thursday signed an order authorizing Bragg to disclose the indictment’s existence, in part because the indictment “would be in the public interest” and such an order is “an appropriate exercise of this Court’s discretion,” the judge said.

Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, previously said his legal team was working out the details of the former president’s first court appearance in the case.

“He’s angry, disappointed, but he’s ready to fight. He’s a pretty tough guy—his knees don’t buckle, so he’ll be ready to go,” Tacopina said.

Judge

Merchan is the judge who oversaw the case of Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization.

Trump said in a statement that Merchan “HATES ME” and that the judge “railroaded” Weisselberg.

“He strong armed Allen, which a judge is not allowed to do, & treated my companies, which didn’t ‘plead,’ VICIOUSLY,” the former president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

Weisselberg was hit with 15 felony charges, including tax fraud. He pleaded guilty and testified against the Trump Organization and another Trump company.

Weisselberg received five months in prison but Merchan warned him that he could face additional jail time if he did not adhere to the plea agreement, CNN reported. Additionally, Merchan said during the sentencing hearing that he would have sentenced Weisselberg to “a much greater sentence” if he had not previously agreed on the prison term.

Trump’s companies were convicted in the case and were fined $1.6 million.